The audit on executive pay at state agencies also shows some deputy administrators and other employees earn as much or more than the executive who manages the agency where they work.

One chart in the audit shows the 25 highest-paid investment officers in state government earn salaries between $180,000 and $480,000. The top three, two investors with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and one with the Employees Retirement System of Texas, make more than the highest paid state agency executive. ERS Executive Director Ann Bishop earns $312,000 and is eligible for a bonus from the ERS board.

A total of 181 employees at 12 state agencies had salaries that exceeded the annual salaries of the executive officer at their agencies.

A total of 107 employees at 37 state agencies had salaries that were the same as or within 10 percent less than the annual salaries of the executive officer at their agencies.

The Health and Human Services commissioner, who oversees five agencies and budget of about $32 billion, has a lower salary than the annual salaries for eight other management positions at state agencies.

These trends occur in a time of budget reductions at state government, with state agency leaders instructed to brace for more in the budget for 2014-15.

***Contact Curt Olson at curt@texaswatchdog.org or 512-557-3800. Follow him on Twitter @olson_curt.